Brendan Fraser had an emotional response on television as he spoke about a topic that is personal to him.

The “Whale” star appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on Monday to talk about a short film he executive produced, “Saving Superman.” The documentary is an 11-minute short that tells the story of Jonathan, a 57-year-old man with autism who has become a beloved figure in the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn.

“Every summer he wears his Superman costume and knows everything about Superman,” Fraser said of the film’s central theme. “His housing was being compromised. In practice he was no longer allowed to live in his apartment. So he had friends, and the whole city rallied around him to support him in having accommodation, a home.”

While talking about the premise of the film, Fraser suddenly became sentimental and quickly revealed the reason why he abruptly cried.

An emotional Brendan Fraser is comforted by presenter Kelly Clarkson.
An emotional Brendan Fraser is comforted by presenter Kelly Clarkson.

NBCUniversal/The Kelly Clarkson Show

“I am a father of a son with special needs,” he shared. “I want to be a part of this for that reason.”

“We need things to go well for everyone who has a family in [a] spectrum,” Fraser continued. “We need more services available to them.”

Clarkson then got up from her chair to comfort the actor with a big hug.

“It’s beautiful to see that, to be a part of that and to be able to see it,” Clarkson said, reflecting on Fraser’s involvement and the film’s goal of shedding light on a condition that affects 1 in 31 children and 1 in 45 adults in the United States, according to the advocacy group Autism Speaks.

Fraser is the father of three sons, Griffin, Holden and Leland, and it was his eldest, Griffin, who was diagnosed with autism as a child.

During a 2023 interview with People, the actor was left speechless when talking about his oldest son and shared why he always tends to make room for those he thinks need a little more love.

“You know there’s someone who needs a little more love, a little more time because they’re autistic or they have Asperger’s, and this is their world. This is where they belong,” she shared.